About Student Mental Health and the Benefits of Psychotherapy with an Educational Psychologist
It’s not easy being a student. In fact, evidence suggests that this generation has greater levels of stress and mental disorders than that of any other time in history. Yes, the world has changed, and our children are exposed to far worse external and internal struggles than ever before. Today’s young adults have to negotiate a number of potentially tricky transitions, including everything from newfound freedom into young adulthood, changes in family dynamics, new friendships, personal relationships, identity issues, and substance abuse, to worrying financial concerns and nerve-racking academic pressure from parents.
Research and Studies
Although the rates of psychological distress are high among both high school and university students, according to research and studies by SADAG, the South African Depression and Anxiety Group, at least 12% of university students in South Africa experience depression, with another 15% experiencing anxiety. Research collected from more than 1 300 students also revealed that as much as 33% of students had experienced suicidal thoughts in the past academic year, and 24,5% reported some form of suicidal ideation in the two weeks before they were interviewed. But, mental illness is not only a problem amongst university students in South Africa, mental illness among both high school and university students has become a common problem across the entire globe. Some of the issues that these young people are dealing with include addiction, mental disorders, self-harm, stress, and anxiety.
Unfortunately, evidence suggests that only few students receive minimally adequate mental health treatment. Sadly, when mental health symptoms are left untreated, these disorders can have a serious impact on student motivation and development, leading to low grades and sometimes, academic failure and depression. And, this is exactly why early interventions with an educational psychologist are so important.
Psychotherapy with an Educational Psychologist
Just like adults, sometimes young adults also need psychotherapy, and while hearing that you or your child should see an educational psychologist may seem like a hard pill to swallow, it could be the best thing. Psychotherapy involves talking to a professional educational psychologist to find the root cause of a problem, detecting triggers, addressing the problem, and finding ways to overcome emotional and mental obstacles. By dealing with problematic behaviours, negative core beliefs, and unexpressed or challenging emotions, along with emotional and physical reactions to all of these issues, psychotherapy can assist both high school and university students in achieving good mental health and emotional well-being.
If you reside in Pretoria or Johannesburg and are in search of an exceptional educational psychologist that can help change critical or harmful behaviour, then make an appointment with Dr Tienie Maritz today. Dr Tienie Maritz has been practising for over twenty years and is a renowned psychologist in Pretoria with a Ph.D. and M.Ed. in psychology.
